Downtown Secrets: Ring of Shadows
A classy adventure/hidden-objects game with an engaging murder mystery,
lush graphics and interesting characters.
I could stop now - but I'll tease you a bit more.
The location is the seedy downtown of a big city - could be New York, but once off the streets, the settings are lush and rich.
The plot centers around Alex a criminal lawyer and his ex-girlfriend Marie, who is accused of murder.
There are well developed characters, some of whom unfortunately die too soon.
Richly appointed interiors - offices, clubs, game rooms, cafes with interesting
travel scenes, bridging the different locations by car and elevated train.
Music is semi-classical, easy to listen to and changes with the scenes.
Clues ramp up and hints are given by showing the location of the object.
Puzzles are integrated into the story and none are so difficult to call halt to the game.
An unusual bit of business involves going back in time to see what took place in the scene.
Objects appear as white negatives and you have to re-find them.
I also appreciated that the scenes weren't junked up with the 'findable objects',
and most things looked like they could have belonged there.
This well balanced game can be completed in about a day.
It can be downloaded for free for a one hour free trial from
I-Play.com.
Reviewed by: Editor - Dec/10
Rating: NR - Not Rated
Fun Factor: Engaging
Female Factor: OK women but no leads
Player Friendly: Good hints. Saves at the end of each hidden object scene.